Darrius slowed to allow his new loyal companion to catch up a bit. He was only about a mile or so from Woodley and Pip needed a break soon. Darrius peddled the rest of the way. Darrius decided to peddled the rest of the way. As he slowed his pace, Darrius couldn't help but think about how Ann looked at him. It was creepy and he wasn't really sure whether he had actually enjoyed the attention. Nonetheless by the time Woodley was appearing into view he had decided he would definitely cycle back to her house. If it wasn't to see her, it would be to calm his boiling curiosity about Ann's lifestyle.
Peddling towards the town Darrius saw that it was indeed not as glamorous as Bledsford. Woodley was definitely more secluded. The few people walking on the broken streets seemed surprised to see Darrius.
He stopped at what looked like one of the only places open to the public so Pip could rest. It was a gas station with four pumps and a greasy looking man outside smoking a cigar. As Darrius poured water from his water bottle into a bowl for Pip and munched on a snack an elderly man, most likely the owner of the station, walked over to sit in the corner next to the cigar man. They weren't far from where Darrius pulled in.
"Do you have homes here carved into the mountain?" Darrius asked the men, half jokingly. He recalled the opening to the mountain behind Ann.
"No son! That's nothing but an old wives' tale! They say you can't find the cave home if you're looking for it." The old man chuckled and said to him.
"And you don't wanna find it!" cigar man hooted and chuckled with the old man.
"Wives' tale..." Darrius thought about moment. "But you must have some caves in the area?"
The man seemed to be contemplating what Darrius had said to him, as if it was odd to even suggest such an anomaly.
"I'm sorry... you aren't from here; it's a scary story I was told when I was younger," the old man continued, "something about a crazy woman, singing in the wind and town folk disappearing."
"You're joking. It's just a story though isn't it?" Justing chuckled along with the men. "Just a tale."
Darrius still felt a bit crawl-y from the conversation, but felt a little less alone. The people here heard some things similar to what he had been. He also had Pip to help him after all.